Children Act 1989, section 9

Restrictions on making section 8 orders

Part II Orders With Respect To Children In Family Proceedings

(1)No court shall make any section 8 order, other than a [F43child arrangements order to which subsection (6B) appliesF43] , with respect to a child who is in the care of a local authority.

(2)No application may be made by a local authority for a [F44child arrangementsF44] order and no court shall make such an order in favour of a local authority.

(3)A person who is, or was at any time within the last six months, a local authority foster parent of a child may not apply for leave to apply for a section 8 order with respect to the child unless—

(a)he has the consent of the authority;

(b)he is a relative of the child; or

(c)the child has lived with him for at least [F45one yearF45] preceding the application.

(4)F46. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5)No court shall exercise its powers to make a specific issue order or prohibited steps order—

(a)with a view to achieving a result which could be achieved by making a [F47child arrangementsF47] order[F48 or an order under section 51A of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (post-adoption contact)F48] ; or

(b)in any way which is denied to the High Court (by section 100(2)) in the exercise of its inherent jurisdiction with respect to children.

(6)[F49 No court shall make a [F50 section 8F50] order F49] which will end after the child has reached the age of sixteen unless it is satisfied that the circumstances of the case are exceptional.

[F51 (6A)Subsection (6) does not apply to a child arrangements order to which subsection (6B) applies.

(6B)This subsection applies to a child arrangements order if the arrangements regulated by the order relate only to either or both of the following—

(a)with whom the child concerned is to live, and

(b)when the child is to live with any person.F51]

(7)No court shall make any section 8 order, other than one varying or discharging such an order, with respect to a child who has reached the age of sixteen unless it is satisfied that the circumstances of the case are exceptional.

Definitions used in section 9 11

the court

(7) For the purposes of this Act “the court” means the High Court or the family court .

Defined in s.92(7) · see it in the full Act
the order

(a) an order under paragraph 1(2)(a) or (b) for the making or securing of periodical payments in favour of more than one child (“the order") is in force;

Defined in Sch.1 para.6(9) · see it in the full Act
child arrangements order

"child arrangements order " means an order regulating arrangements relating to any of the following—

(a)

with whom a child is to live, spend time or otherwise have contact, and

(b)

when a child is to live, spend time or otherwise have contact with any person;

Defined in s.8(1) · see it in the full Act

“child arrangements order” has the meaning given by section 8(1);

Defined in s.105(1) · see it in the full Act
child

16 (1) In this Schedule “child” includes, in any case where an application is made under paragraph 2 or 6 in relation to a person who has reached the age of eighteen, that person.

Defined in Sch.1 para.16(1) · see it in the full Act

“child” means, subject to paragraph 16 of Schedule 1, a person under the age of eighteen;

Defined in s.105(1) · see it in the full Act
local authority

“local authority” means, in relation to England ..., the council of a county, a metropolitan district, a London Borough or the Common Council of the City of London in relation to Wales, the council of a county or a county borough and, in relation to Scotland, a local authority within the meaning of section 1(2) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 ;

Defined in s.105(1) · see it in the full Act
local authority foster parent

“local authority foster parent” means a person authorised as such in accordance with regulations made by virtue of—

(a)

paragraph 12F of Schedule 2; or

(b)

sections 87 and 93 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (regulations providing for approval of local authority foster parents);

Defined in s.105(1) · see it in the full Act

“local authority foster parent” has the meaning given in section 22C(12);

Defined in s.105(1) · see it in the full Act
relative

“relative”, in relation to a child, means a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt (whether of the full blood or half blood or by marriage or civil partnership) or step-parent;

Defined in s.105(1) · see it in the full Act
specific issue order

“specific issue order” has the meaning given by section 8(1);

Defined in s.105(1) · see it in the full Act
a specific issue order

“a specific issue order” means an order giving directions for the purpose of determining a specific question which has arisen, or which may arise, in connection with any aspect of parental responsibility for a child.

Defined in s.8(1) · see it in the full Act
prohibited steps order

“prohibited steps order” has the meaning given by section 8(1);

Defined in s.105(1) · see it in the full Act
a prohibited steps order

“a prohibited steps order” means an order that no step which could be taken by a parent in meeting his parental responsibility for a child, and which is of a kind specified in the order, shall be taken by any person without the consent of the court;

Defined in s.8(1) · see it in the full Act

Cases considering section 9 54

K (Children) (Powers of the Family Court), Re

[2024] EWCA Civ 2 · 11 January 2024Limits

Interprets the restriction on section 8 orders for children in local-authority care, supporting the conclusion that the injunction was instead an incidental order supporting the care orders. (see para [41])

J (DV Facts)

[2018] EWCA Civ 115 · 6 February 2018

The court applied the restriction on making a section 8 order extending beyond a child’s sixteenth birthday unless the circumstances are exceptional, as part of its decision not to remit the case (see para [95]). The court applied the restriction on making a section 8 order for a child who has reached sixteen unless the circumstances are exceptional, reinforcing the practical difficulty of remitting the case concerning B (see para [95]).

C (Children)

[2016] EWCA Civ 374 · 14 April 2016Limits

Section 9(1) prohibits section 8 orders for a child in the care of a local authority, subject to a living-arrangements exception. It prevented a prohibited steps or specific issue order from providing a statutory route for the naming issue (see paras [80]-[81]; [100]).

34 more judgments, and what each says about section 9, are in the case-law panel in the full Act.

Amendments and notes

10 notes from legislation.gov.uk

Amendments

  1. F43Words in s. 9(1) substituted (22.4.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), s. 139(6), Sch. 2 para. 4(2); S.I. 2014/889, art. 4(f) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2014/1042, arts. 3, 4, 6-10) this amendment is subject to savings and/or transitional provisions, see the commentary.
  2. F44Words in s. 9(2) substituted (22.4.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), s. 139(6), Sch. 2 para. 4(3); S.I. 2014/889, art. 4(f) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2014/1042, arts. 3, 4, 6-10) this amendment is subject to savings and/or transitional provisions, see the commentary.
  3. F45Words in s. 9(3)(c) substituted (30.12.2005) by 2002 c. 38, ss. 113(a), 148 (with Sch. 4 paras. 6-8); S.I. 2005/2213, art. 2(k)
  4. F46S. 9(4) repealed (30.12.2005) by 2002 c. 38, ss. 113(b), 139, 148, Sch. 5 (with Sch. 4 paras. 6-8); S.I. 2005/2213, art. 2(k); S.I. 2005/2897, art. 2(b)
  5. F47Words in s. 9(5)(a) substituted (22.4.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), s. 139(6), Sch. 2 para. 4(4); S.I. 2014/889, art. 4(f) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2014/1042, arts. 3, 4, 6-10) this amendment is subject to savings and/or transitional provisions, see the commentary.
  6. F48Words in s. 9(5)(a) inserted (22.4.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), ss. 9(7), 139(6); S.I. 2014/889, art. 4(a) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2014/1042, arts. 3, 4, 6-10) this amendment is subject to savings and/or transitional provisions, see the commentary.
  7. F49Words in s. 9(6) substituted (1.9.2009) for the words from the beginning to "which" by virtue of Children and Young Persons Act 2008 (c. 23), ss. 37(1), 44; S.I. 2009/1921, art. 2(b); S.I. 2009/2273, art. 2(2)(k)
  8. F50Words in s. 9(6) substituted (22.4.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), s. 139(6), Sch. 2 para. 4(5); S.I. 2014/889, art. 4(f) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2014/1042, arts. 3, 4, 6-10) this amendment is subject to savings and/or transitional provisions, see the commentary.
  9. F51S. 9(6A)(6B) inserted (22.4.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), s. 139(6), Sch. 2 para. 4(6); S.I. 2014/889, art. 4(f) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2014/1042, arts. 3, 4, 6-10) this amendment is subject to savings and/or transitional provisions, see the commentary.

Commencement

  1. I9S. 9 wholly in force at 14.10.1991 see s. 108(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)